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Thera 2.49: Sandhita
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(169):Sandhita Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =169. Sandhita= Reborn in this Buddha-age in a wealthy family of Kosala and named Sandhita, he heard, when come of age, a sermon on impermanence, and this alarmed him so that he entered the Monk’s order. Through the maturity of his knowledge he established insight, and acquired sixfold abhiññā(higher knowledge). Recalling his own former life, how after the passing away of Sikhi Buddha he had worshipped at the Bo-tree(Pipal) and acquired discernment of impermanence,1 he declared his winning of the goal, by that efficient cause, in these verses: ---- 217 Assatthe haritokāse saɱvirūḷhampi pādape,|| Ekaɱ buddhagataɱ saññaɱ alabhitthaɱ patissato.|| || 218 Ekatiɱse ito kappe yaɱ saññamalabhiɱ tadā,|| Tassā saññāya vāhasā patto me āsavakkhayo' ti.|| || ---- 217 Beneath the tree-the holy Bodhi-tree- Clad in the glory of its spring green, To me meditating and mindful came a thought - A Buddha-burdened thought. 218 it is one and thirty aeons since it came. Natheless so fruitful proved that thought in me, By force of that over the intoxicants(defilements/desires) The victory is won! ---- 1 In lamenting that he only heard of that Buddha just as he had passed away. On Sikhi, see Dialogues, ii. 6. 'Bodhiṁtree' is assatthe, or the species of fig-tree which was Gotama Buddha's Bo-tree. Sikhi's was a kind of mango (see Childers's 'Puṇḍarīka'), and the Commentary is at some pains to explain that assattha had come to stand for Bo-tree associations in general. 'Thought' - saññā, aperçu - is repeated thrice in the text. ---- =2.5-9 169 Commentary on the stanza of Sandhitatthera= The stanza starting with assatthe haritobhāse constitutes that of the venerable thera Sandhita. What is the origin? This one also, having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating acts of merit in this and that existences, became a cowherd at the time of the Blessed One Sikhi thirty one aeons (kappa) ago. When the Master entered parinibbāna, he approached a certain Thera, listened, in his presence to the truth (dhamma) aptly associated with the qualities of Buddha, became pious-minded, asked as to where the Blessed One was, came to hear the state of having entered parinibbāna, and aptly gained the perception of impermanence (aniccasaññā) thus: “in this manner such a highly powerful Buddha had to go under the influence of impermanence; alas! Confections (saṅkhāra) are not everlasting.” The Thera caused him to make effort for the performance of honouring the bodhi tree. Time after time he went near the bodhi tree, placed himself in the path of developing spiritual insight and paid his homage to the bodhi tree reflecting up on the qualities of Buddha. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among, divine and human beings, and was reborn in a wealthy family in the kingdom od kosala, when this Buddha arose; having gained the name Sandhita, he came of age and having listened to the teaching of truth (dhamma) aptly associated with impermanence, he happened to be remorseful, became a monk, placed himself in the path of developing spiritual insight (vipassanā) and became an Arahant with six sorts of superknowledge but before long because of his having reached the all-round maturity of knowledge (ñāṇa). Reflecting upon his own former abodes, he remembered his paying of homage to the bodhi tree, his reflection on Buddha and his apt gaining of the perception of impermanence at the time of the Blessed One Sikhi and in order to make manifest his own achievement of distinction (visesa) by means of that sufficing qualilfication (upanissaya), spoke two stanzas:–- 217. At the holy fig tree (Assattha) of green shining colour, at the well- grown tree, being aptly aware, I gained a perception in relation to (gata) Buddha. 218. It was thirtyone aeons (kappa) ago that I then gained the perception (saññā); being borne by that percep- tion, I have attained Arahantship being free from cankers (āsava). There, assatthe means: at the site of the holy fig tree; since at present the Bo tree of our Blessed One is the bodhi tree, at the site of this Bo tree, there stood the bodhi tree Puṇḍarīka of the Blessed One Sikhi then; thus, because of its being the site of comfortable encouragement it has been said as “Assattha (encouraged)” in other words, because it arouses the confidence (assāsa) of living beings. Other scholars, however, say thus: “Having had himself seated, then, at the foot of the bodhi (assattha) tree, and developed his reflection on Buddha, on that account, the Thera spoke of it as ‘Assattha’.” Haritobhāse means: shining with the colour of essense of emerald (sāramaṇi) of green shade. Saṃvirūḷhamhi means at the well grown up and excellently established (tree); they say also; clearly grown and well-foliaged with enmassed (sughana) accumulated (nicita) leaves, stalks and sprouts. Pādape means trees. Ekaṃ Buddhagataṃ saññaṃ, alabhitthaṃ patissato means: I gained, having become aptly aware because of suitable and apt rememberance of the qualilties of Buddha, the perception (saññā) which went together with (my) reflection upon Buddha, which occurred singly in such a manner as: “Iti pi so Bhagavā” (that Blessed One is thus also), because of the state of being born singly (ekajātiyattā) of such object of contemplation as contemplation on Buddha. When, however, was that perception gained? How long ago was it accomplished (siddhā)? (In answer to these two questions) the Thera said: “Ekatiṃse ito kappe” and so on. By way of mounting up above from this excellent (buddha) aeon (kappa) thirty one aeons (kappa) previous to the present. Yaṃ saññaṃ means: this perception which went together with reflection on Buddha; I gained the perception of impermanence, then, in all confections (saṅkhāra) commensurate with what I saw alternatively the impermanence of Buddhas. Tassa saññāya vāhasā means: having made it my sufficing qualification for the attainment of Arahantship (upanissaya), by the condition of making that perception (saññā) according as has been said. Patto me āsavakkhayo means: Arahantship, free from cankers had been attained by me; now, by me has been attained the truth of cessation (nirodha) which is the extinction of cankers. These self-same stanzas are also the Apadāna verses of this Thera. According as he said:– “At the bodhi tree of green colour; … the canker-free condition was attained by me. Thirteen aeons (kappa) ago, I was a world King of warrior clan (khattiya) named Dhaniṭṭha, of great vigour, endowed with seven gems. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Sandhita is complete. The Commentary on the fifth Chapter is complete. is complete also is the Commentary on the Second Section. ----